Profile
Late Brahma Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar is a composer of Tamil Kirtanas and “Stotras”. For more than 30 years, he performed “Radha Kalyanam”,”Seetha Kalyanam” in Sampradaya Hari Bhajan method in various cities of Tamilnadu, Kerala and North India.
“Sampradaya Hari Bhajan” was started by Brahma Sri Sadguru Swamigal of MarudaNallur about 200 years ago and recently propagated by Brahma Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar ( Appa) of PuduKottai, Poojya Sri Haridoss Giri and Brahma Sri Krishna Premi Anna.
Brahma Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar was born at ThalaiGnayiru village of Tanjore district in South India on 9th Dec 1937. He is very closely related to Flute Mali (ThalaiGnayiru Ramaswamy Mahalingam) and Sikkal Neela & Kunjumani ( Flute Sisters). He was attracted by the Bhajans of Pudukottai Sri Appa while he was studying at Oraiyur,Tiruchirapalli which inducted him into Sampradaya Bhajan at that early age.
Life and Works
Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar migrated to Chennai in the year 1952 and was later attracted to Sri Arunagiri Nathar’s Thirupugazh. This was the turning point in his life and he became an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga. He composed stotrams on Lord Muruga ( Muruga Nutretu, Aandi Ashtagam, Thiru Vazhipadu, Jaya Jaya Velava Stotram) in Tamil and was blessed by His Holiness Chandra Sekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and His Holiness Abhinava Vidya Theertha Swamigal of Sringeri Peetam on various occasions. Some of his other notable works are Muruga Namamutham, Sampradaya Hari Hara Putra Bhajanamrutham, Shotasa Ganapathy Stuthi Mala, Andal Thirukalyanam, Bharatha Vamsavali ( online soft copy ) .
Some lectures..
a) Book release
b) Lecture in Singapore for Sivaratri function
Andal Thirukalyanam
Professional Career
Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar was working for the Department of Agriculture, Government of Tamilnadu all along and got retired as Senior Administrative Officer on 30th November 1995. During his tenure, he introduced many novice schemes and executed them with perfection. He has received many appreciations from IAS officers for the same. His concern for detail and innovative ideas has shown up as success stories throughout his career.
Family Background
Brahma Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar was a born in a pious family on both father’s and mother’s side. His maternal side uncle ( thai maman ) was BrahmaShri. T. Janakiraman who was one of the founders of Murugan Thiruvarut Sangam. His maternal grandfather was a Sri Vidya Upasaka and a devotee of Umbalarcheri Siddhars ( Periya Mottai, Chinna Mottai ). Krithigai Thirupugazh Bhajan was a family tradition.
On the paternal side, His great grandfather was SreeKrishna Sarma ( Vaidyanathan ) who hailed from Vishnampettai near Tirukattupalli. He was a Krishna bhaktha and took sanyasa in his last days and lived in Koothur Dharma Sastha temple till last breath. He was laid in samadhi near the kaveri river next to the temple. The place of samadhi is only approximately known now.
His paternal grandfather was Shri Gopalakrishna Ganapadigal who lived in uraiyur/malaikottai near Tiruchy. His father Shri Nagaraja Iyer ( Vaidyanathan ) was a station master in railways and did business for a brief period. His untimely death in 1940s led the family to migrate to Chennai in search of livelihood.
Wandering Soul
In Chennai, he did multipe jobs before joining the State government. In those days, his interests moved towards Atheism, Communism, Maoism, Dravidianism as the forbinger of change in the society. The effects of poverty and discrimination in the society affected him and he lost faith in the religious system altogether. He also wandered into other political and religious philosophies ( Christianity, Islam, Buddha/Jain traditions ). But his mind was set in atheism as he needed to feel the presence of God the Almighty on earth which no one could convince him about.
He was like Naren in search of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
Divine Grace of Mahaperiyavaa
In those days, his maternal cousin Shri.Balasubramanian (Ramani) who was his uncle’s son was concerned about his world view and made attempts to bring him back to the divine path, his family was always wanting him to follow.
The turning point in his life came when he visited Kanchipuram (early 1960) once with his cousin. He was interested in seeing the temple architecture and his cousin was there for Sankara Mutt and the temples. At this point, Shri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar had no religious belief or was agnostic.
On reaching kanchi, his cousin asked him to come with him to Mutt. He immediately rejected. When his cousin suggested that visiting the Mutt and receiving Theertham from Mahaswami was the reason he was in Kanchi, Bhagavathar was not happy. So they decided to drop him off near the mutt, they would choose their independent ways and then meet later, post lunch.
But fate had a different plan!
When they got off his cousin’s car near the mutt, his cousin Balu forced him and took him alongside inside the mutt.
Mahaperiyava was performing the madhyana kala pooja and they waited. When periyavaa started giving theertham, after giving it for few people, He dropped the theertha utharini in the pathram and left. The devotees who were waiting to receive the theertham got really upset and were cursing that some papi without the devotion has come in and thats why periyavaa left!!
Immediately, his cousin told him,”You are the reason, I missed the Theertham today!”
Bhagavathar was really angry and told him, “Naana unnoda madathukku varenu sonnaen. Nee thaan enna izhuthundu vantha. Ippa enna Thittara. Periya theertham. Sridhar Hotelukku pona oru lotta neraiya theertham kodupaan!. Neeyum un nambikayyum!!”.
His cousin couldn’t argue with him and they came out of the Mutt. When they were about to leave, one of the madathu vaideegar came and asked, “Balu nu chennai lernthu vanthirukarathu yaaru?”
Balu identified himself and was told he was called in by Periyavaa. And he was asked to bring his travel partner along with him. They were taken to periyavaa’s room which only had a deepam and periyavaa was studying intensely.
Two of them waited there for few minutes. Periyavaa didnt notice ( may be purposefully).
Shri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar was upset again and sounded with his throat to tell periyavaa that he was waiting!!
Mahaperiyavaa looked at him and said the golden words,
“Sridhar Hotelukku poyiruntha lotta theertham kedaichirukkum!!”
Shri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar couldn’t believe how mahaperiyavaa got to know what he talked with his cousin personally outside the Mutt. But the next few minutes would be the Golden Minutes for him. Mahaperiyavaa asked them to sit and talked to them. Shri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar was asked questions about his family, current status, job at hand and slowly Mahaperiyavaa made him understand that his God Father is before him. His cousin Balu was happy that he could do something which would change his cousin’s life forever.
Mahaperiyavaa spoke in silence to him and the “God’s All Seeing Eye” (Sarva Darsi Vimuktatma or alternatively Nethra Deeksha) widened to cover the entire space around him, “Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Keep coming regularly.”
Mahaperiyavaa showed him the way for his life where he took a job in state government (agriculture department), got married, moved to Ullagaram with some of his relatives, built Vijaya Ganapathy temple, founded Vijaya Ganapathy Mandali, performed 1000s of Radha, Seetha, Valli, Sastha Kalyanam, wrote 2 dozen books on Hindu Religion, Philosophy and Spiritual Methods.
Mahaperiyavaa helped him when he and his team was stuck for money to build the temple. His holiness fixed the Kumbabhishegam date in 1984 just 18 days earlier. Mahaperiyavaa helped him bring Mayilai Guruji Sundararama Swamigal and Minister RM Veerapan for the Kumbabhishegam.
In every step of the way, Mahaperiyavaa was there, His Holiness Jayendra Saraswathi and His Holiness Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal became patrons of the temple for its growth today. From 1980s, Puthu Periyavaa visited the temple many times and opened the temple’s Sankara Hall in 1995. On the same day, His Holiness opened the slab marking the Raja Gopuram works for the temple. His Holiness visited the temple few years back when He was still ailing and couldn’t travel continuously.
In 25 Feb, 1996, when Adambakkam Sankara Kendra was still in its inception, Shri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar arranged for a 172 Brahmacharis led Gayathri Homa (24 Yaga Kundams) and Dwadasa Sudarsana Homam at the Sankara Kendra site. Both the temple and kendra are being run like sister organizations spreading dharmic way of life, religious activities in Ullagaram and Adambakkam today.
His book, “Bharatha Vamsavali” is a treasure for the seekers of this Great Land which merges thousands of paths and spiritual rivers into “The Ocean of Divinity” ( Advaita Sagara, His Holiness Mahaperiyavaa )
Shri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar led a very purposeful, simple and pious life all along after meeting Mahaperiyavaa. His followers, fellow bhagavathas, brothers, sons and daughters would remember him as “NGK”,”SadhGuru”,”Torch Holder”,”God Father” who would leave no stone un-turned in converting their lives to One filled with Bhakthi, Spiritual Ecstasy, An Inward looking mind and above all surrendering themselves to the lotus feet of Mahaperiyavaa.
Shri Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar left his mortal coil on Sep 14, 2019 on Sravana Pournamasya day. His works and books would remain an inspiration for spiritual seekers time to come.
Hari Om
Sri Ullagaram Vijaya Ganapathy 
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